Improving Through Benchmarking

This user-friAndly guide shows how benchmarking is a means of using the best process-management practices to improve results. Ideal for process improvement teams in both large organizations and small companies. 1. Introduction 1

2. Benchmarking: An Overview 5

3. The Seven-step Benchmarking Model 13

4. Benchmarking: A Practical Example 17

5. Step One: Identify What to Benchmark 21

6. Step Two: Determine What to Measure 35

7. Step Three: Identify Who to Benchmark 47

8. Step Four: Collect the Data 55

9. Step Five: Analyze Data and Determine Gap 67

10. Step Six: Set Goals and Develop an Action Plan 75

11. Step Seven: Monitor the Process 85

12. Summary 97

Appendix 101

RICHARD CHANG is president and CEO of Richard Chang Associates, Inc., a consulting and publishing firm whose clients include Toshiba, Marriot, Citibank, Fidelity Investments, Nabisco, and McDonald's. He currently serves as chair of the board for the American Society for Training and Development. He lives near Irvine, California.